For Road & Track: Toyota Has a Performance EV in Development and Yes, It Has a Manual

When longtime Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda announced plans to move on from the top job at Toyota to assume the chairman’s seat, more than a few enthusiasts were worried that meant an end to the performance cars and return to motorsports he helped usher in. After all, the future Toyota and the rest of the industry faces—battery-electric vehicles, autonomous driving and software features—don’t necessarily scream “fun.”

A few fears were assuaged when Toyoda announced his successor would be Koji Sato, an engineer and the former Lexus and Gazoo Racing chief who’s a known gearhead as well. And now we know Toyota’s planning a few wild-card experiments too as it leans more heavily into the electric era.

Toyota’s GR go-fast brand is working on a mysterious electric performance car that has engine sounds and a manual gearbox, Toyoda himself revealed last week at a briefing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a small group of reporters, including Road & Track.

“I actually had the opportunity to test-drive a battery EV that GR is working on,” Toyoda said through an interpreter. “The very difference that the BEV has that GR is developing is that you can actually hear the sound—engine noise,” he added in English. “You just won’t be able to smell the gasoline.”

[Read the rest at Road & Track]